What's Happening With the New US Push for Peace in Gaza?
Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and diplomatic envoy, is scheduled to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on August 17, 2026. His goal: push a 15-point plan for Gaza that Israel has already said no to in public. The meeting comes after Kushner held a rare meeting with leaders of Hamas and talks with mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey. Euronews Al Jazeera
A day before the Netanyahu meeting, Kushner gathered with mediators from Qatar, Turkey, and Egypt in El-Alamein, Egypt. He was joined by Nickolay Mladenov, who directs an organization called the Board of Peace, and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. During the visit, Kushner sat down with members of Hamas's political leadership. Sources cited by Axios say Hamas leaders told Kushner they would disarm Gaza. Al Jazeera Axios
The 15-point plan at the center of this effort would have Hamas gradually give up its weapons and hand control of Gaza to an international force. In exchange, Israeli forces would withdraw from Gaza. Netanyahu, who is running for re-election in October, has rejected the plan outright. His main objection is to the idea of giving up control of Gaza to an international force. Hamas, on the other hand, said it accepted the plan, but only if Israel first withdraws its forces and stops its attacks. Al Jazeera
This effort is being organized through the Board of Peace, a group led by the United States that was launched in February 2026. It was created as part of a broader ceasefire, a temporary halt in fighting, that Israel and Hamas agreed to in late 2025. The board includes about 40 countries, including Israel and several Arab nations, but no Palestinian representatives. It also named Trump as its permanent chair. Al Jazeera
In late July 2026, Trump said an agreement had been reached for Hamas to disarm. But the situation on the ground tells a more complicated story. At least 1,260 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza by Israel since the ceasefire took effect. Israel also carried out strikes on Gaza in mid-August 2026, even as Trump's envoys were working on the peace plan. Al Jazeera Reuters
Tension between the US and Israel over Gaza has been building for months. In September 2025, Kushner and another envoy, Witkoff, met with Netanyahu adviser Ron Dermer to discuss a US plan for ending the war and managing the aftermath. By January 2026, the US moved forward with "phase two" of its Gaza plan despite Netanyahu's objections. US officials told Axios at the time: "This is our show, not his." Axios Axios
Netanyahu's political situation is getting harder. As of August 14, 2026, Trump had not endorsed the Israeli leader for re-election, and Netanyahu's campaign was reportedly struggling. Axios
News outlets had been reporting on this mission for days before the August 17 meeting. Axios reported on August 13 that Kushner planned to visit Israel the following week. Reuters reported on August 14 that Kushner was set to meet mediators from Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey in Cairo. Board of Peace officials confirmed last week that Kushner would lead a delegation to Egypt and Israel to try to break the diplomatic deadlock. A US official, cited by the New York Times on August 16, confirmed Kushner was in Egypt for talks on Gaza but gave no further details. Reuters also reported that Hamas attended some of the meetings between Trump's envoys and Gaza mediators. Axios Reuters Al Jazeera New York Times Reuters
The broader picture is full of contradictions. The Board of Peace was meant to bring many countries together, yet it has no Palestinian representatives at the table. Its plan has won conditional acceptance from Hamas but a flat rejection from Israel. Israel keeps conducting military operations in Gaza even though a ceasefire is formally in place. And the US has shown before that it is willing to move ahead without Netanyahu's blessing, both in the January phase-two rollout and in Trump's decision not to endorse him in August.
Whether Kushner's meeting with Netanyahu can close the gap between a plan Hamas has conditionally accepted and one Israel has rejected will depend on what the US does next. It can pressure Israel, give in to Netanyahu's objections, or accept that the plan cannot move forward without Israel's agreement. The October election adds urgency: Netanyahu has every reason to look tough on security, while the US has shown it will push its agenda forward regardless of his objections.
